


Joha be cuun kar'ta

by sootnose



Series: Mando Savage & Family [1]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-02
Updated: 2019-11-02
Packaged: 2021-01-16 23:08:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 349
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21279257
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sootnose/pseuds/sootnose
Summary: Gi has opinions.





	Joha be cuun kar'ta

"Saváge?"

Savage paused and looked over his shoulder. Rook Kast's confounding engineer stood in the hallway, one hand on his hip, shoulders tense.

_"Ni copaani tionir gar. Gar nu'jorhaa'i Mando'a. Tion vod be gar jorhaa'i?"_

Savage frowned. "I don't understand Mandalorian", he said. "You know this."

Gi shrugged and approached Savage. "So I do. Does the Mand'alor understand it?"

"No." Savage paused. "A little. The commandos try to teach him."

"Good. Mand'alor should speak _Mando'a._"

Savage harrumphed. "Why?"

Gi spread his arms helplessly. "It's the cant of our heart?" He gave a wry laugh and shook his head. "It's tradition. The six acts." He counted on his fingers. _"Ba'jur bal beskar'gam,_ education and armour; _ara'nov,_ self-defence; _aliit,_ clan, or family; Mando'a—the language!—and Mand'alor, all keep us alive."

Savage studied the Mandalorian in silence. Gi smiled impishly at him.

Savage turned to continue down the hallway. "Language is a tool."

"Yes, but it's identity as well", Gi argued, keeping up with Savage. "Basic and Huttese don't have so many words that describe Mandalorian life, that if we didn't have Mando'a our self-expression would be limited. And the Mand'alor should be Mando, not"--they gestured with one hand--"_aruetii_, um, an outsider."

Savage eyed the Mandalorian. "What are you going to do about it?"

Gi tilted his head at Savage. "Nothing. I could give him study material, the rest is on him. You can't _make_ someone Mandalorian." Gi paused, re-evaluated his words. "Not anymore, you can't. Used to be you could, but is someone converted with a blade truly Mando in their heart? So, we don't do that anymore."

"Hm", was all Savage dignified that with. "What does 'deekoot' mean?" he asked instead. He knew it was an insult. It was easy to tell from tone and context.

_"Di'kut?_ A fool. Someone who forgot to put their pants on", Gi explained, miming pulling up his pants. "Someone called you that?" he asked sharply.

"No. Heard the commandos say it to each other."

"Good. One should at least have the decency insult people in a language they understand", Gi said.

**Author's Note:**

> Joha be cuun kar'ta = Language of our heart


End file.
